Leading the charge is the environment committee, which will discuss the strategic priorities that fall within its portfolio on Tuesday. I’m told there are already a dozen public delegations signed up to speak to the matter.

The strategic priorities on the list include:

Combined sewage storage tunnel: As part of the Ottawa River Action Plan, construct a tunnel to reduce combined sewer overflows to the Ottawa River — $11.8 million in 2015 and again in 2018, funded in the capital and rate budgets

Water environment strategy phase 2: Develop the second phase of the water environment strategy and, pending council approval, begin implementation. Will build on phase 1 and 2014 water roundtable — $4 million over four years from the rate and capital budgets

Increase forest cover: Tree planting in urban, suburban and rural areas, and rehabilitation of parks and green spaces by partnering with Ecology Ottawa to plan one million trees — $500,000 over four years*

Air quality and climate change management plan: The plan would set emission reduction targets, goals and objectives, and encompass a variety of projects and initiatives to be implemented by the city over the next five years to achieve “more efficient and renewable municipal operations” — $1.5 million over three years (2016-2018) in capital spending, plus $1 million over four years in operating spending*

Stormwater management retrofit master plan: Develop a city-wide stormwater management retrofit master plan to improve water quality, reduce runoff and improve stream health in older urban areas that developed before current stormwater management requirements were in place — $2,465,000 over four years from the rate and capital budgets

Renewable energy strategy: Analyze energy supply and demand currently and assess options for community partners to advance energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy generation — $400,000 over four years in operating spending (UPDATE: Committee approved a technical amendment because there was an error; the funding is actually $100,000 in 2015)

Waste diversion in parks, buildings and grounds services operations: Enhance diversion and participation rates within the parks, buildings and grounds services branch — $96,000 over four years in operating spending

Energy management and investment strategy: Build off 2010-2014 Smart Energy Program to manage city’s increasing growth and demand for energy through various conservation methods, including the installation of LED street lighting — $4 million over four years in capital spending, plus an additional $1,960,000 over four years in operating spending*

Large diameter water main program: Assess the condition of 220 kilometres of large-diameter (610 mm and greater) water mains in order to identify and manage risks — $13,500,000 over three years (2016-2018) in capital spending

Water and wastewater rate structure review: Review and update the city’s water and wastewater rate structure in order to provide adequate funding to support operations and infrastructure needs — no funds associated with review in 2015-2018 ($354,000 in 2014, funded through rate budget); I wrote about this previously

Altogether, this list totals $53,021,000 (UPDATE: With the noted change above, this figure is actually $52,721,000).

But only the items marked with an asterisk (*) will be funded from the special strategic initiative pot of cash.

Some projects are listed as strategic priorities but the actual funding has already been outlined in another budget. Why? Because this entire exercise, on a deeper level, is actually about approving council’s term-of-council priorities, some of which have been articulated in previous plans (i.e, the Transportation Master Plan, circa 2013) and some of which need to be funded specifically with this new pot of cash.

There’s ample overlap between standing committees, which means some initiatives could come up more than once. For example, the water strategy (phase 2) and increased forest cover were both included on the list of strategic priorities the agricultural and rural affairs committee has already approved.

The environment committee meets Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Champlain Room.

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